Improvement in cattle-stanchions



NITED ST TES ATENT OFFICE.

IMPROVEMENT lN CATTLE-STANCHIONS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 4|,92'6, dated March 15, 1864.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. KEENE, of Newburyport, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cattle-stanchions; and I'do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation, and Fig. 2 a top view.

Like parts are indicated by the sameletters in both drawings. v

The nature of my invention consists in confiaing the sliding plate F to the top G of the stanchionss frame by means of an expanding spring-pin, or its equivalent, and combining the same with a rope or chain passing to the outside of the building, and a lever, 0, or its equivalent, attached to the projecting end of the sliding plate F, whereby, in case of fire in the stable, the cattle may all be instantly released by a person standing outside of the stall or building.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my improvement, 1 will now describe its construction and operation.

The drawings represent a front elevation and a top view.

Ais the flooring of the stable.

B is the sill or bottom of the frame of the stanchions,fast to the floor A, and constructed like those in general use, being slotted to receive the lower ends of the slats D E,which are confined by pins 0 in the usual manner.

0 is the stationary top of the frame of the stanchions, being slotted to receive the upper ends of the fixed slats D and the movable slats E, s s 8 being pins passing through 0 and the slats D.

F is a sliding plate of plank or joist, about as wide and thick as the top 0 of the frame, directly above and parallel with which it is placed. Through this plate F and frame 0 are longitudinal vertical slots, Fig. 2, (represented by the dotted lines in Fig. 1,) to re ceive the movable slats E and allow them the requisite lateral motion for an ox to insert or withdraw his head.

The upper ends of the slats E are confined in the slots in F by means of pins h,which pins also support the plate F and cause it to move laterally when required, with but a little friction; or, when it is required to let out or tie up a single animal at a time, it can obviously be done by removing the pin h, and

moving one slat E independently of the others, exactly as in stanchions in general use.

or is an expanding spring-pin, which,when passed up through the vertical holes in G and F, confines the latter and the movable slats E in the position represented in the drawings.

I is a lever turning on the fulcrum j, attached to the side of the stall or building, the upper end of said lever being forked so as to embrace a pin, 1, projecting from the side of the plate F, by means of which lever it is obvious that all the movable slats E may be simulta- Y neously opened or shut by an attendant, and with a daily saving of a great amount of time proportioned to the number of cattle to be stalled.

n is a rope or chain attached to the end of the pin m and passing through a hole in the wall G of the stable or building tothe staple g in the lever O, which is hinged at P to the projecting end of the sliding plate F. Thus, in case of fire in the stable or building, all the cattle may be instantly untied by a person outside by merely raising the lever O to a horizontal position, which withdraws the pin m, brings it against the wall G, and consequen tly forces F and its appendages from G.

My improvement is simple, cheap, and readily applied to any stanchions in general use, daily saves considerable time, and would be, in case of fire, of great utility.

Having thus described the construction and operation of my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In combination with the frame (3 and slidin g plate F, the pin m, rope n, and lever 0, or their equivalents, substantially as set forth,

and for the purpose specified.

GEO. A. KEENE.

Witnesses:

E. W. RAND, J osEPH G. GERRISH. 

